This article explains how to clear the password of a local user account on a computer running Windows 7 or Windows 10. You can only make this change using the system administrator account. Since network accounts will use the Microsoft Outlook password to log in, you will not be able to delete the password in this case. Never clear a user account password without first receiving explicit permission from the owner.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Using the Control Panel
Step 1. Access the "Start" menu by clicking on the icon
It features the Windows logo and is located in the lower left corner of the desktop. Alternatively, you can press the ⊞ Win key.
Step 2. Type the keywords control panel into the "Start" menu
Your computer will search for the "Control Panel" app.
Step 3. Click on the Control Panel icon
It features a blue rectangle and is displayed at the top of the "Start" menu.
Step 4. Click the User Accounts link
It features two human silhouettes.
Step 5. Click the User Accounts link
It is displayed at the top of the appeared page.
Step 6. Click on the link Manage another account
It is displayed within the "Edit User Account" section.
Step 7. Click on the account you want to delete the login password for
It should be listed on the right side of the page.
Step 8. Click the Change password link
It is displayed on the left side of the appeared window.
If the indicated option is not present for the user account you have selected, it means that it is not a local profile and therefore you do not have the permissions to change its password
Step 9. Click the Change Password button
It is located at the bottom of the window. If you leave the "New password" and "Confirm new password" fields blank, the current account password will be deleted.
Method 2 of 2: Use the Command Prompt
Step 1. Access the "Start" menu by clicking on the icon
It features the Windows logo and is located in the lower left corner of the desktop. Alternatively, you can press the ⊞ Win key.
Step 2. Type the keywords command prompt in the "Start" menu
It will search your computer for the Windows "Command Prompt" app.
Step 3. Click on the "Command Prompt" icon
with the right mouse button.
It should have appeared at the top of the "Start" menu. A context menu will be displayed.
Step 4. Click on the Run as administrator option
It is displayed at the top of the appeared menu.
If an error message is displayed, it means that you are not using a computer administrator account and therefore are unable to change the passwords of other user accounts
Step 5. Click the Yes button when prompted
The "Command Prompt" window will appear.
Step 6. Type the command net user "[username]" "" into the "Command Prompt" window
Replace the [username] parameter with the name of the account whose password you want to delete.
- For example, if your account name is "Johnny", you will need to run the following net user command "Johnny" "" within the "Command Prompt".
- If there are empty spaces in the account name (for example John Smith), you will need to replace the spaces with the "underscore" character ("_"). So in this case the real name to use would be "Mario_Rossi".
Step 7. Press the Enter key
The command will be executed and the password of the indicated user account will be deleted.
Advice
If the computer you are working on is connected to a network (for example, a school or work network), you can ask the network administrator to delete a user account
Warnings
- If the user account in question is logged on to the system when you try to change the password, an error message will be displayed. To prevent this from happening, restart your computer.
- Before changing the password of a user account, always ask for the written authorization of the person concerned.
